Category: Franchise

Although starting counseling early helps produce the best outcomes, research suggests that integrative couples therapy can help even seriously distressed marriages. Austin Professional Counseling uses science based approaches to marriage counseling in Austin. John Howard is a psychotherapist, educator, and spiritual teacher practicing leading edge couples therapy techniques and incorporating the latest, evidence based techniques to help couples improve communication and deepen intimacy.

The science of psychology has experienced an explosion in hard science with advances in research in the areas of neuroscience, attachment theory, change research, trauma, and other disciplines, which have provided new knowledge and insight into how the brain, mind, and body work together. This information is used to create a more integrated approach to marriage with methods such as the Gottman Method, PACT, and EFT for Couples.

The new research has replaced the old paradigm of assigning blame with a more collaborative and integrated approach. An effective marriage therapist remains neutral, while empathizing with multiple perspectives and works with you to help you reach a common goal and improve the harmony and happiness in your marriage.

Couples Therapy Approaches Based on Science

The Gottman Method for Healthy Relationships is a therapeutic approach to couple’s therapy that is based on more than 40 years of research by John Gottman. This method begins with an assessment of the current status of the relationship and utilizes research based interventions based on Gottman’s Sound Relationship House theory to help couples resolve conflicts and develop a deeper understanding of each other.

Psychobiological Approach to Couple Therapy (PACT) is a research based integrative approach to couple’s therapy that uses mind and body functioning to create a secure relationship. The scientific basis of PACT draws on research in neuroscience, attachment theory, and the biology of human arousal. The approach helps couples understand what happens in the brain and emotions during a fight to get to the root of conflict and tension in the relationship and work through their issues in a session with a marriage therapist. Prior to practicing as a relationship counselor in Austin, John Howard spent 6 years training with Dr. Stan Tatkin, founder of the PACT Institute.

Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) for Couples is based on a structured approach to couple’s therapy developed by Dr. Johnson in the 1980s. EFT is a collaborative and respectful approach that is based on empirical research on the nature of marital distress, adult attachment, and the change process. During therapy sessions, couples experience new cycles of interactions that replace the existing negative cycles. The positive interactions work to create lasting change in the relationship.

Research has led to a renewed growth in interest in ancient healing and spiritual growth traditions, such as mindfulness and meditation in a holistic mind, body, spirit approach to handling the problems of life. When choosing a marriage therapist, look for someone who uses research to make therapeutic decisions that best suit the unique needs of each couple.

As demand for property across Britain rises and stock levels fall, the number of people getting stung by gazumping is also increasing, research finds. The last two years have shown an increase in gazumping nationwide, jumping from 13 percent in 2015 to 36 percent in 2017.

Gazumping happens when a potential buyer has their bid accepted on a property, yet during the process of buying, another buyer comes along with a better offer, and the original buyer is ‘gazumped’ from the purchase as the seller chooses the highest bidder.

The frustrating, but legal process of gazumping typically arises on properties in high demand, whether it be because of the desirable location, the quality of the home itself, or the price range. Peter Wetherell, CEO of Wetherell, notes that this is usually either ideally priced starter homes or top of the range luxurious designer properties – both of which buyers will do anything to get their hands on.

Gazumping is increasing in line with market values and demand

Due to Brexit and other political matters at play in the UK currently, the real estate market has almost come to a halt with potential sellers wary of entering their property onto the market until they have some certainty of the future. This decrease in stock is a major factor to the increased demand and subsequent gazumping trend.

A recent investigation revealed that London has the highest frequency of gazumping during the property sales process, with a notable 35 percent of potential buyers having been gazumped over the past two years. Second place was given to the South East region, which although high at 16 percent, is less than half the frequency experienced in the capital.

Although there is quite a difference between the two, third place drops even further to nine percent, and it is not unexpected that London and the South East have the highest numbers of people being outbid past the offer acceptance stage due to being home to the most expensive and in demand properties in the UK. The average house price in London is currently £481,345 and in the South East is £315,807. These are significantly higher values than the £220,084 average found across the rest of the UK.

The North West experienced the third highest rate of gazumping at nine percent, followed closely by the West Midlands and Yorkshire at seven and six percent, respectively. Typically, property values are substantially lower in these areas compared with the south.

At the bottom of the list is Scotland with one percent, where gazumping is commonly thought to be illegal. However, that is not quite the case. Scottish law and practice prevent a solicitor bound by this to represent a seller who wishes to accept a higher offer on their property, following accepting an offer from another buyer as this would be misconduct. However, solicitors not bound by this law – located in England or Wales – could represent the seller in this case and this is why gazumping, although very rare, can still happen in Scotland.

How can a potential buyer avoid being gazumped?

Avoiding being gazumped is simple, but not necessarily easy. Here are some points to consider when buying a property to ensure all that can be done is:

– A cash purchase will always stand a better chance as there is no waiting around for mortgage applications and money to come through to complete the sale. However, if a mortgage is necessary, ensure a mortgage in principle has been agreed, so you are in a position to make an offer immediately and then complete the application as soon as possible after your offer has been accepted as this entire time is a risky period for being gazumped.

– Make a realistic offer. This may seem basic, but a seller who has accepted an offer, but thinks they may be being slightly ripped off, is much more likely to accept another offer should it come along quickly enough.

– Sell your own property as fast as possible. Long chains can begin to develop if a buyer has a property of their own to sell and some sellers will not wait around. If a better offer comes along while they’re waiting, be prepared to be gazumped.

– Be friendly and open. It doesn’t hurt to build a good rapport with your potential seller, they may be selling you their home, and they are likely to want it to go to someone who will look after it and who will benefit from it. If the seller knows your situation and how much you and your family will love living in this new home and how well looked after it’s going to be, they’re much less likely to accept a higher offer when it comes along if they’re happy.

Myths and Motivations Career Reinventions and the New Retirement Workscape

A Merrill Lynch Retirement Study conducted in partnership with Age Wave

I wanted share this with you. It is about hope and the future for older workers and retirement bound individuals. In my role I see more and more evidence of these events. I share this because of my many friends and contacts and family members that need to read this.

Retirement used to mean the end of work. But now we’re at a tipping point: a majority of people will be continuing to work after they retire — often in new and different ways. Nearly half (47%) of today’s retirees say they either have worked or plan to work during their retirement. But an even greater percentage (72%) of pre-retirees age 50+ say they want to keep working after they retire, and in the near future it will become increasingly unusual for retirees not to work. This new phenomenon is driven by four forces:

Increasing life expectancy, which has produced a retirement that can last 20 years or more.

Elimination of pensions for most workers, shifting the burden for funding retirement from employers to retirees.

Recent economic uncertainty, which has been a wake-up call for many people that it is not financially sustainable to retire without some employment income.

Re-visioning of later life, as new generations seek greater purpose, stimulation, social engagement, and fulfillment in retirement. While some are delaying retirement, a growing number of people are continuing to work after they retire. Because this is largely uncharted territory, pre-retirees who anticipate working in retirement are confronted with many questions and uncertainties: Will I be able to find work in my later years? If so, for how long? How can I balance work with other things I want to do? What kind of work might I be able to do? Will I enjoy it? Will it help me be more financially secure? What can I do now to best prepare for working during my retirement years? These pre-retirees can learn essential lessons from people who are now working in retirement. This landmark study— based on a nationally representative survey of 1,856 working retirees and nearly 5,000 pre-retirees and non-working retirees—is the most comprehensive investigation of the successes, pitfalls and innovative career paths in today’s retirement

Busting the Four Biggest Myths

By examining the experiences of working and non-working retirees, the Work in Retirement: Myths and Motivations study dispels important misconceptions.

Myth 1: Retirement means the end of work. Reality: Over seven in 10 pre-retirees say they want to work in retirement. In the near future, it will be increasingly unusual for retirees not to work.

Myth 2: Retirement is a time of decline. Reality: A new generation of working retirees is pioneering a more engaged and active retirement—the New Retirement Workscape—which is comprised of four different phases:

(1) Pre-Retirement,

(2) Career Intermission,

(3) Reengagement

(4) Leisure.

Myth 3: People primarily work in retirement because they need the money. Reality: This research reveals four types of working retirees: Driven Achievers, Caring Contributors, Life Balancers and Earnest Earners. While some work primarily for the money, many others are motivated by important nonfinancial reasons.

Myth 4: New career ambitions are for young people. Reality: Nearly three out of five retirees launch into a new line of work, and working retirees are three times more likely than pre-retirees to be entrepreneurs.

Joe G. White is Owner of MFR Inc. “The Franchise Rainmaker”. He provides professional advice to people looking to engage in franchise ownership He can be reached at 647-724-0742 or jwhite@franchiserainmaker.com.

This is a little tongue in cheek approach to the reasons people use to avoid making decisions around business ownership.

Over the many years I have helped people navigate towards their aspirations of owning a business, it is amazing how many can find a reason not to take action. We all know it is fear of the unknown. Why climb the mountain to only turn your back on the land of milk and honey. Let me be clear there are many good reasons to not take action that are totally acceptable. So let’s have some fun with this.

It is not the right time now. Well if it is not now when is it? It is good to hold yourself accountable to a date and time.

Nobody will buy that service. Despite the fact that over 500+ people are running and growing that business.

It will not work here we are different in (fill in the city or country you like). Well I got out of bed today and did pretty much all the same things people did in your city today how is that different?

I know nothing about the industry. Just checking but did you forget how smart you are and how fast you learned how to do your job.

MySpouse thinks it is a bad idea. What is the challenge here? It can be very legitimate but often an easy escape hatch rooted in fear.

I am not sure I can handle the success you know what success did to that person. Say what! You know you will be a success but you cannot handle it.

I am not ready to take the risk. That is fine and in many cases perfectly okay. But you will never know the real value of a risk until you take one.

I will wait something even better will come along. The constant quest for perfection. You know you have to start somewhere.

I need to go and learn more, then I can do it. Let me see, you have a higher education and you need to learn more. Okay, but was not the education the seeds to help you grow. It might just be time to harvest the benefits of your education.

Your are too young or you are too old. The ship is coming in again I will wait, or the ship has been and is not coming back. There is only one now and the best one is right now.

You see we all have our reasons but be clear on one thing, when you say “no” to something because it may cost you money or your fear is just to much to cope with you have made a decision. Our excuses are ways to fool ourselves. That decision you make has a cost. When you accept the status quo that can be an expensive decision, in terms of missed opportunity that all hides behind the guise of an excuse.

Please feel free to add your favourites to the list.

Joe G. White is Owner of MFR Inc. “The Franchise Rainmaker”. He provides professional advice to people looking to engage in franchise ownership he can be reached at 888-296-9250 or jwhite@franchiserainmaker.com.

It never ceases to amaze me what people think are good reasons to buy a franchise business. I thought I would share a few I have come across over my 18 years in franchising. Excuse my tongue in cheek humour.

I want to buy this one food franchise because I eat there every day. That sounds inexpensive!

I love to cook. Oh boy! Do you really believe a food franchise is going to let you cook what you want?

It is a hot idea, and look, they are everywhere. I watched a category heat up and burn in less than two years. Trendy business is generally doomed business.

I can get the perfect location for that brand and just make money like crazy. Are you a real estate expert? Just asking.

I will make lots of money right away. Oh yeah that means you are not going to work at it and are likely underfunded. That is not good.

I will not have to face my boss anymore so that is why I want a business. May be you need to think that one through more.

I have children now and I want a business about children. Yes, so what are you going to do when they are older buy another business for teenage children when your children are teenagers?

I know a lot about franchising my uncle had one and he told me all about it. Right that makes him a resource but not an expert. What worked for him probably will not work for you.

There are many more I could share with you but the point is this. Do your homework think it through and park your emotions at first. Share your plan with people that support your journey. Get a skilled adviser.

But do follow the dream but do it right. Make the smart investment in yourself.

Joe G. White is Owner of MFR Inc. “The Franchise Rainmaker”. He provides professional advice to people looking to engage in franchise ownership He can be reached at 888-296-9250 or jwhite@franchiserainmaker.com.

You know the situation if you have ever tried looking for a franchise. You are looking at an a la carte style menu and it says tick the franchises that interest you. But how do you know if those Brands are right for you and if you’ll be successful with them? Is this the only list to use? You read the glowing one-page summary on each franchise and you pick your top 20 favourites. Then you wait.

You have just lit the fuse to twenty pieces of Dynamite

Within hours the phone starts to ring and you are lost, confused, exhausted and annoyed. How did this happen? It also seems you got more than twenty calls and you had people call you that you did not even request. All you wanted was a little information.

Is a little information enough?

For starters, wanting a ‘little information’ is your first mistake. This is a major business decision. All the information you need is not online. OH MY! You need at least 7 to ten hours to thoroughly investigate any franchise. So go to your room (or office) and do your homework! Now for the scary stuff. You may not be looking at any of the right brands for you. In fact, many great brands do not list on these menus. Oh, and by the way, and as reference point there are over 3500+ franchises in North America.

The problem is you started in the wrong place

How much do you know about franchising? Did you assess your current reality? You are exposed to making the biggest mistake you can make in Franchising and that is not selecting the right franchise for yourself and Family. The implications are far reaching.

Where do you turn?

So now that you are overwhelmed and confused, you decide to seek help. Where do you turn and whom can you trust? Family? Business colleagues? Maybe. But quite frankly, you need more than that.

Beware of the buffet approach to franchise selection. You’ll notice that that on the Franchise Rainmaker website there is no reference to brands. (This is your first clue). You are unique and you have special requirements. But you probably don’t have the time or the ability to gather the right information on 20 different franchises. Then, do you have the expertise to narrow down your choices and find the right fit?

You deserve a better way. The good news is there are some great advisers out there in the franchise business. But how do you find the right one for you?

Joe G. White is Owner of MFR Inc. “The Franchise Rainmaker”. He provides professional advice to people looking to engage in franchise ownership He can be reached at 647-724-0742 or jwhite@franchiserainmaker.com.

These two little words can change the way you communicate to your clients and prospects. Effective communication in business always leads to more success. It is using the right words to to help and to facilitate learning while building relationships with your clients. It is all about trust and rapport.

What is don’t? It is do not disguised under the apostrophe banner. It sneaks into our conversations under this mask.

Here are some Don’t phrases to ponder.

Don’t care!

Don’t think so!

Don’t want to!

Don’t have an interest!

That should be enough, but I am sure you can think of hundreds, but what are these phrases? You are right! They are negative statements and that lead to dead end streets with no way out.

Here is the most intriguing concept. We as business communicators will use the word Don’t and it leads us nowhere. I really believe that to be true. A good example is “I don’t think you should go down that path.” Now search how you felt or what you thought about when you read this phrase. What ever it was, it had a negative feel to it along with what ever action you would need to take to respond to it. Right!

Now think of the word DO

It is an action word to be taken very seriously. For example we seldom ask people what they don’t do but what they Do?

Do you care!

Do you think so!

Do you want to !

Do you have and interest!

Now look at the difference. The word Do is positive by its nature and it requires action or demands open response. It begs the question “why” and a “because” response.

Do you think you would learn more about your clients, staff, associates etc. if you incorporated this word? Why do you think so? What will it Do for you in your business communications. Do you think it might help you make more money.

I trust you get the point. It is so easy to change this habit just say the word Do instead of don’t and let the flow of the conversation happen. Just some fun thoughts for everyday business.

Joe G. White is Owner of MFR Inc. “The Franchise Rainmaker”. He provides professional advice to people looking to engage in franchise ownership He can be reached at 647-724-0742 or jwhite@franchiserainmaker.com.

Let me be clear, the food category is a big part of the franchising industry. But what most people fail to do is investigate the other categories of franchising.

Did you know you could run numerous service franchises that deliver great value and produce solid recurring revenue?

Did you know you could keep your job and built a retail empire on the side? Yes you can determine your exit strategy.

Did you know that one and eight homes in North American has a home based business?

Did you know that in North America Home based businesses generate over 427 billion in revenue annually and growing? Many of these businesses are franchises.

Did you know that one in two businesses that start today are Home Based and that 58% of home based businesses are run by women. You see there is a cost effective way to make money and work from home.

Franchising can deliver the programs and systems to succeed at home or as creating an exit strategy from employment. If you want to get off the job cycle and take control of your future perhaps you should look at franchise business ownership from a non food perspective. Perhaps you may be able to own a business sooner then you think and have more time for the things you want to do. But these options can generally be less expensive than food and can move to profitability much quicker.

Fully 85 % of the people who start a franchise business are still running them five years down the path. I am not sure you can say that about your job security.

Long term a well thought out business can lead you to the returns you want. The reason this works is because the investment is in “You” in an organized business model. A wise friend of mine said, “You do not know the value of a risk until you take one.” Before you jump on the food wagon track for franchising make sure you clearly investigate the industry. It will surprise you what is out there. Franchising is the safest way to enter the business ownership and long term they are solid investments.

Joe G. White is Owner of MFR Inc. “The Franchise Rainmaker”. He provides professional advice to people looking to engage in franchise ownership He can be reached at 647-724-0742 or jwhite@franchiserainmaker.com.

With over the 17 years of working and placing people in franchises I have a list of why people do not buy businesses. These are why many people never proceed with the dream of owning a business. I have witnessed to many people climbing the mountain of business ownership and stopping at the top never to harvest the benefit of all the expertise they have to share and achieve the wealth and lifestyle they are capable of achieving. I hope by sharing these you will recognize when they are in your way and be able to knock them out of the way.

Here they are:

Relatives: The family members who are meaning well who advise you not to do it. They normally do not have all the details or they are thinking only of themselves. You may educate them on your opportunity and desire or say thank you for the advice.

Friends: They care, but worry about losing your friendship or your time with them. They also mean well but probably do not share your dream. Do listen to those that encourage you.

Pessimists: These people are the ones who kindly advise you that you are crazy and will fail no matter what you say or do. You need to walk away from these types. You know good advice when you hear it.

Society: This will not work here, or you have a greater role to play then owning a business. Some people are afraid to be successful as if financial success is a dirty word. Your ethical success is good for society no matter what it is.

Guilt: You are feeling bad about using financial resources and making and investment. “How will we cope and have the money to live on?” You need to be thinking long term. Keep your eye on the prize.

Over Analysing: Looking for the numbers to tell you not to do it, rather than using the numbers to show you how you can do it. Live your dream do your numbers and seek the answers but do not let perfect numbers be the only way you will start a business.

Fear: I left this one to the end because it is the ultimate dream killer. You are overcome by the, “What ifs'” and you either fight or walk away. You are left wondering if you will ever have a business. Use fear to seek more knowledge look for the root cause and learn how to mitigate the problem. I will write more on this at a later date.

You can overcome these obstacles by recognizing them for what they are. With proper planning, focus and advice all of these roadblocks can be hurdled.

Joe G. White is Owner of MFR Inc. “The Franchise Rainmaker”. He provides professional advice to people looking to engage in franchise ownership He can be reached at 647-724-0742 or jwhite@franchiserainmaker.com.